Improvement in corpse-preserving caskets



"N. FQCURRANQ Improvement in Corpse Preserving Casket.

No.131,668 'Patente d Sep.24, 18 72.

mtueami ism PATENT FFICE.

NICHOLAS F. CURRAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORPSE-PRE SERVING CASKETS..

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 131,668, dated September 24, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NIoHoLAs'F. CURRAN, of Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a Corpse- Preserving Gasket, of which the following is a specification:

The invention consists in means for preserving the person and clothing of dead bodies from contact with the moisture generated from surrounding ice, and for allowing the circulation of cold air around all portions of the corpse, as hereinafter fully described. 3

The invention will first be described in connection with all that is necessary to a full understandin g thereof, and then clearly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a top view with parts broken out; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section.

A in the drawing represents the casing,

consisting of top B,with singleor double glasses b and covers 1), sides 0 0, bottom F, and ends G G, provided with time H for airpump, and tubes I I to discharge water from ice-chambers. a represents a series of icechambers arranged within case A, with the intermediate packing b or they may be airspaces. a representsair-spaces or packing at top, fitted into the ice-chambers. d are iceboxes, that fit intothese chambers and have caps d. J is the perforated cooling-board, having slotted elevation c for head, and raised above bottom of case to leave a space. j, which will admit the circulation of cold air on the under side of body. K is a groove, in which the drippin gs from the ice-chamber are received. L is a zinc or other metallic case, in which the body is placed. M is a lining fastened to outside case at top and bottom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. A casket preserving-case, having two glasses, 1) b, and hinged covers b 1), arranged as and for the purpose described.

2. The air-spaces 0., arranged between the outer shell and ice-chambers a, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The ice-chambers a of a portable corpsecasket, attached rigidly to sides but made entirely independent of top and bottom, so'that said chambers may be used either with or without the detachable ice-boxes d, as specified.

4:. A portable burial-casket, having, the bottom and perforated cooling-board in one piece; the shell, ice-chambers, and body-case in a second piece; and the top, glasses, and hinged cover in a third piece; whereby the body can be laid out, incased, supplied with ice-boxes,-

and covered in, separately and successively, without shifting the body or cooling-board, and without nailing, screwing, or rattling of ice.

NICHOLAS F. GURRAN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM I. SMITH, JOHN WERNER. 

